Nemesis moaned softly and her eyes fluttered open. The disoriented
fledgling tried to sit up but found herself restrained by two arms. For a
moment she panicked as her memory came rushing back to her. Turning her
head she found Christian sleeping next to her on her left and then turning
her head to the right found herself staring directly in the intense green
eyes of Edge.
"Hey," he whispered softly his hand moving to caress her cheek, "How are you feeling?"
Nemesis relaxed and considered that a moment, "Not too bad, I guess," she said shifting a bit, "I feel a little weak," she smiled, "And I'm definitely hungry."
Edge returned her smile, "I'll wake Gangrel and we'll go feed. You both could use it."
As Edge began to sit up Nemesis reached out and grabbed his arm, "I didn't hurt him did I?"
Edge smiled and gently pried her fingers from his arm, "No, sweet, Gangrel just needed some rest. He's fine," The tall blonde kissed her knuckles, "You were the one we were worried about."
"I was worried about me too," the strawberry blonde confided, "I'm lucky you guys got there in time."
"We'd never let anything happen to you," Edge promised, "Now I'm going to wake Grel and then we'll feed. You need to get your strength back."
Nemesis nodded and managed a chuckle as Edge leaned across her to smack Christian in the head. Christian jumped and opened his eyes to glare balefully at his brother. Edge only smiled and said, "Help her get ready, I'm going to wake Gangrel and then we'll go feed."
Christian grumbled as he climbed out of bed and then chuckled as Shadow came bounding in the room and leapt up onto the bed. The small kitten rubbed against Nemesis' arm and she smiled picking up the feline. "Hey, sweety," she cooed stroking its fur as it purred with satisfaction, "I love ya to death but I'm starved," she said putting it back down on the bed after kissing him on the head.
Christian took her arm as she climbed slowly from the bed. Nemesis swayed slightly and leaned into Christian when he put his arm around her. Stopping by the closet Christian pulled out her leather duster and helped her to put it on before helping her down the steps. He sat her in a chair while they waited for Edge and Gangrel.
About five minutes later the two men walked down the steps, Gangrel looking a bit pale even for him but walking unassisted. "Christian, why don't you drive tonight?"
Christian nodded his agreement and together the two brothers helped their sister and their sire out to the car. Christian drove towards the city, Gangrel in his usual spot in the front passenger seat while Edge and Nemesis cuddled together in the back. Edge had wrapped both of his arms around her as she leaned against him her head resting on his chest.
Nemesis breathed in deep, inhaling his scent, allowing it to surround her and comfort her. Edge held her tightly, protectively but Nemesis was only confused by his actions. The blonde seemed to have such strong feelings for her, but what about that bonding thing? She definitely had to ask Christian about it the first chance she got.
Christian stopped the car at the club and the four climbed out, Edge hovering over Nemesis. They made quick work of feeding and headed straight home afterwards. When Edge and Gangrel began talking softly off to the side Nemesis took Christian by the arm and pulled him out of the room and up the stairs.
"What is it, Little One?" he asked allowing her to drag him down the hall.
"I need to ask you something," she told him as she pulled him into his bedroom
Christian paused to study his sister, his brow furrowing in concern, "What is it Nemesis?" he asked sitting down on his bed indicating that she should join him. Nemesis sat beside her brother and sighed, "At my presentation," she began slowly, "Malice mentioned something called a 'bonding'. What is that?"
"Why do you want to know about a bonding?" Christian asked confused.
"Please, Chris," Nemesis pleaded, "Just tell me what it is."
The blonde shrugged, "I guess you could say it's the vampire version of a marriage." Christian watched her face intently as he continued, "When two vampires enter into a relationship it's tradition for the eldest to seek permission from their sire or if they have different sires then the permission of both sires is needed. If granted then the two are bonded in a formal ceremony."
Nemesis nodded looking down at the floor. Christian placed a finger under her chin tipping her chin up so that her eyes met his. "What's troubling you, Little One?" Christian prodded gently, "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"
Nemesis gazed at him not certain if she should tell him or be silent. "Victoria," Christian sat a bit more firmly, "I can't help you if you don't let me."
"It's Edge," she murmured softly.
Christian paused and took an unnecessary breath. "What do you mean it's Edge?" he asked bending over to look into her eyes.
Nemesis shrugged, "We . . . we've kind been having a thing."
"'A thing'" Christian echoed, "Did you two sleep together?" he demanded.
The young vampire didn't have to reply he could see it in her eyes. Christian growled his eyes glittering slightly.
Nemesis was taken aback by Christian's anger but se had to ask, "Why didn't he tell me? Why doesn't he want a bonding?"
Christian sighed, "I don't know, Little One," the blonde thought a moment, "How long has this been going on?"
"Since right after I was turned," she replied softly.
Christian hugged his sister, "It'll be okay," he pulled back slightly, "You need to get some rest. Go to bed."
Nemesis nodded rising to her feet. "Good night."
Christian waited until he heard her door close. Rising to his feet he stalked down the hall to Edge's room. He barged in without knocking to find Edge changing into his pajamas.
"Dude!" Edge yelled pulling his pants up, "Haven't you heard of knocking?!"
"What game do you think you're playing with Nemesis!?" Christian demanded slamming the door behind him
Edge froze, "What are you talking about?" he asked softly.
"You know what I'm talking about," Christian growled.
Edge sighed, "She told you."
"What are you doing, Edge?" Christian asked in a dangerously quiet voice, "Why are you using her?"
"I'm not using her," Edge cried defensively.
"Then why have you kept your relationship a secret?" Christian asked, "Why haven't you gone to Gangrel for permission to be bonded?"
"I don't want a bonding," Edge informed him, "I don't want to be tied down yet."
"You're not being fair to Nemesis," Christian told him.
"She doesn't know what a bonding is," Edge said dismissively, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."
"But she does know," Christian mocked, "Nemesis asked me about it just a little bit ago."
This seemed to take some of the wind out of Edge's sails, "She thinks I'm just using her for sex doesn't she?" he asked softly looking down at the ground.
"She's not sure what to think, Edge," Christian replied, "And neither am I."
Christian sat down on the bed, "Edge, we almost lost her tonight. Are you still willing to play games after that?"
Edge shook his head, "I can't be bonded with her," Christian opened his mouth to protest, but Edge raised his hand to silence him, "Look I'm going to talk to her, try to make her understand, but I don't want a bonding and that is that." Without another word Edge walked out of the room slamming the door behind him.
"Hey," he whispered softly his hand moving to caress her cheek, "How are you feeling?"
Nemesis relaxed and considered that a moment, "Not too bad, I guess," she said shifting a bit, "I feel a little weak," she smiled, "And I'm definitely hungry."
Edge returned her smile, "I'll wake Gangrel and we'll go feed. You both could use it."
As Edge began to sit up Nemesis reached out and grabbed his arm, "I didn't hurt him did I?"
Edge smiled and gently pried her fingers from his arm, "No, sweet, Gangrel just needed some rest. He's fine," The tall blonde kissed her knuckles, "You were the one we were worried about."
"I was worried about me too," the strawberry blonde confided, "I'm lucky you guys got there in time."
"We'd never let anything happen to you," Edge promised, "Now I'm going to wake Grel and then we'll feed. You need to get your strength back."
Nemesis nodded and managed a chuckle as Edge leaned across her to smack Christian in the head. Christian jumped and opened his eyes to glare balefully at his brother. Edge only smiled and said, "Help her get ready, I'm going to wake Gangrel and then we'll go feed."
Christian grumbled as he climbed out of bed and then chuckled as Shadow came bounding in the room and leapt up onto the bed. The small kitten rubbed against Nemesis' arm and she smiled picking up the feline. "Hey, sweety," she cooed stroking its fur as it purred with satisfaction, "I love ya to death but I'm starved," she said putting it back down on the bed after kissing him on the head.
Christian took her arm as she climbed slowly from the bed. Nemesis swayed slightly and leaned into Christian when he put his arm around her. Stopping by the closet Christian pulled out her leather duster and helped her to put it on before helping her down the steps. He sat her in a chair while they waited for Edge and Gangrel.
About five minutes later the two men walked down the steps, Gangrel looking a bit pale even for him but walking unassisted. "Christian, why don't you drive tonight?"
Christian nodded his agreement and together the two brothers helped their sister and their sire out to the car. Christian drove towards the city, Gangrel in his usual spot in the front passenger seat while Edge and Nemesis cuddled together in the back. Edge had wrapped both of his arms around her as she leaned against him her head resting on his chest.
Nemesis breathed in deep, inhaling his scent, allowing it to surround her and comfort her. Edge held her tightly, protectively but Nemesis was only confused by his actions. The blonde seemed to have such strong feelings for her, but what about that bonding thing? She definitely had to ask Christian about it the first chance she got.
Christian stopped the car at the club and the four climbed out, Edge hovering over Nemesis. They made quick work of feeding and headed straight home afterwards. When Edge and Gangrel began talking softly off to the side Nemesis took Christian by the arm and pulled him out of the room and up the stairs.
"What is it, Little One?" he asked allowing her to drag him down the hall.
"I need to ask you something," she told him as she pulled him into his bedroom
Christian paused to study his sister, his brow furrowing in concern, "What is it Nemesis?" he asked sitting down on his bed indicating that she should join him. Nemesis sat beside her brother and sighed, "At my presentation," she began slowly, "Malice mentioned something called a 'bonding'. What is that?"
"Why do you want to know about a bonding?" Christian asked confused.
"Please, Chris," Nemesis pleaded, "Just tell me what it is."
The blonde shrugged, "I guess you could say it's the vampire version of a marriage." Christian watched her face intently as he continued, "When two vampires enter into a relationship it's tradition for the eldest to seek permission from their sire or if they have different sires then the permission of both sires is needed. If granted then the two are bonded in a formal ceremony."
Nemesis nodded looking down at the floor. Christian placed a finger under her chin tipping her chin up so that her eyes met his. "What's troubling you, Little One?" Christian prodded gently, "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"
Nemesis gazed at him not certain if she should tell him or be silent. "Victoria," Christian sat a bit more firmly, "I can't help you if you don't let me."
"It's Edge," she murmured softly.
Christian paused and took an unnecessary breath. "What do you mean it's Edge?" he asked bending over to look into her eyes.
Nemesis shrugged, "We . . . we've kind been having a thing."
"'A thing'" Christian echoed, "Did you two sleep together?" he demanded.
The young vampire didn't have to reply he could see it in her eyes. Christian growled his eyes glittering slightly.
Nemesis was taken aback by Christian's anger but se had to ask, "Why didn't he tell me? Why doesn't he want a bonding?"
Christian sighed, "I don't know, Little One," the blonde thought a moment, "How long has this been going on?"
"Since right after I was turned," she replied softly.
Christian hugged his sister, "It'll be okay," he pulled back slightly, "You need to get some rest. Go to bed."
Nemesis nodded rising to her feet. "Good night."
Christian waited until he heard her door close. Rising to his feet he stalked down the hall to Edge's room. He barged in without knocking to find Edge changing into his pajamas.
"Dude!" Edge yelled pulling his pants up, "Haven't you heard of knocking?!"
"What game do you think you're playing with Nemesis!?" Christian demanded slamming the door behind him
Edge froze, "What are you talking about?" he asked softly.
"You know what I'm talking about," Christian growled.
Edge sighed, "She told you."
"What are you doing, Edge?" Christian asked in a dangerously quiet voice, "Why are you using her?"
"I'm not using her," Edge cried defensively.
"Then why have you kept your relationship a secret?" Christian asked, "Why haven't you gone to Gangrel for permission to be bonded?"
"I don't want a bonding," Edge informed him, "I don't want to be tied down yet."
"You're not being fair to Nemesis," Christian told him.
"She doesn't know what a bonding is," Edge said dismissively, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."
"But she does know," Christian mocked, "Nemesis asked me about it just a little bit ago."
This seemed to take some of the wind out of Edge's sails, "She thinks I'm just using her for sex doesn't she?" he asked softly looking down at the ground.
"She's not sure what to think, Edge," Christian replied, "And neither am I."
Christian sat down on the bed, "Edge, we almost lost her tonight. Are you still willing to play games after that?"
Edge shook his head, "I can't be bonded with her," Christian opened his mouth to protest, but Edge raised his hand to silence him, "Look I'm going to talk to her, try to make her understand, but I don't want a bonding and that is that." Without another word Edge walked out of the room slamming the door behind him.